58 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



fact, the latter would be absolutely incapable of 

 such exertion. Still, personally, I would at any 

 time rather ride a horse a little above himself, 

 and go home after the first burst, than ride a 

 jaded dispirited automaton animal, though I 

 might drive him through the best run man ever 

 saw. 



Of course, where horses are properly managed, 

 they are seldom found in either of the states 

 I have mentioned. One thing I am perfectly 

 satisfied of, though in giving the opinion I pre- 

 mise to the reader it is one he must act on with 

 great caution ; nevertheless I am certain it is 

 correct, '' Where one gentleman's horse gets too 

 much work, a great number get too little/^ 

 When I use the term work, I do not mean the 

 sort of work we give tliem for our use or amuse- 

 ment, but the sort of work necessary to bring 

 them into a high state of condition. My meaning 

 as to work might be very easily misunderstood ; 

 for instance, supposing a man to pay me the com- 

 pliment of acting on any opinion of mine, he 

 might say, " If other gentlemen's horses get too 

 little work, it shall not be the case with mine. 

 I will hunt each horse twice a week." In such 

 a case, there can be no doubt but these horses 

 would have work enough; in fact, a good deal 

 too much, unless they hunted with hare-hounds, 

 and those not over fast either. The great fault 



